Arc-rupturing device.



N0. 630,3I8. Patented Aug. 8, I899. E. J. BERG.

ABC RUPTURING DEVICE.

(Application filed Dec. 1'7, 1898.) (No Iudel.)

a Ernst J. Berg, W by MM UNITED STATES ERNST J. BERG, O

F SCI-IENEOTADY, NEW Y ORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK.

ARC-RU PTU RING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters P Application fil atent No. 630,318, dated August 8, 1899.

ed December 17,1898. Serial No. 699,598. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNST J. BERG, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Are- Rupturing Devices, (Case No. 812,) of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for rupturing or blowing out the are formed by breaking a circuit carrying an electric current, and has particular reference to means whereby the current in the blow-out magnet or solenoid is maintained at its full value, or as nearly so as may be, until the are has been completely dissipated and the circuit broken.

My invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, while its scope will be clearly and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates one 2 5 method of applying my invention, and Fig. 2

shows a dili'erent arrangement.

In Fig. 1, Gindicates conventionally an alternating-current generator or other source of alternating or variable currents. Leading 3o therefrom are mains 1 and 2, connected to the primary of a transformer T. A cut-out F of some suitable forum-such, for example, as a f use--is inserted in one of the leads connected to the transformer T. The secondary of the transformer supplies current to any desired translating devicessuch, for example, as lamps L. Before passing to the lamps one of the leads of the secondary is carriedback to the solenoid or excitingcoil 0, used 0 for creating a field for blowing out the are caused by the opening of the cut-out F. The opposite terminal of the solenoid is then led back to the translating devices fed by the secondary of the transformer T. It is assumed that the transformer is of the step-down variety and that as a consequence the current oils has a considerably alue than the current in the prifore be evident that the or of turns or convolutions of the conthe coil C of the blow-out dein its secondary c greater v mary. It will there numb ductor used in vice will be much smaller for a given effect than would be the case if the coil 0 were arranged to be excited directly by the primary current from the mains 1 2. There are several advantages to be gained by the use of a small number of turns of large conductor rather than a large number of turns of small conductor. In the first place, the cross-section of the conductor may be such that its inherent rigidity is sufficient to mechanically maintain the turns of the same out of contact with each other, and thus dispense with the employment of special insulating means. Furthermore, where the conductor is of large size the relative proportion of space occupied by insulation is smaller than is the case where a conductor of small cross-section is used. The average length of a turn is thus smaller where a conductor of large cross-section is employed and so results in a considerable saving of copper. Upon breaking the circuit at the cut-out F the change in current produced thereby reacts upon the secondary of the transformer T toset up an electromotive force, and conse quently to maintain current therein. It will thus be seen that the force acting to blow out or dissipate the arc does not vary as the square of the current flowing through the are, as would be the case if the blow-out device were excited from the same circuit as that in which the arc is formed, but on the contrary decreases at a much slower rate by reason of the tendency of the currentin the secondary of the transformer T to flow during and after the time when its primary circuit is being broken. The current in the blow-out magnet or solenoid is thus maintained at or near its full value during the whole time the current in the arc is being reduced to zero and so causes a more rapid and effective dissipation of the arc. This useful effect is, moreover, augmented by reason of the fact that the current in the blow-out magnet orsolenoid is out of phase with that passing through and forming the are, the result of which is thata much greater force is exerted to rupture the are when the current through it is approaching its Zero value than would be the case if the currents were in phase. These advan tages which flow from an inductive relation of the circuit in which the arc is formed with the circuit from which eurrentis supplied to the blow-out device I consider important.

In Fig. 2 I have shown an arrangement in which the broad idea is applied to a directcurrent system. In this caseD is a diagram.- matic representation of a direct-'cun'ent generator feeding two circuits, one of which is a lighting circuit carrying a comparatively small current and feeding lamps L, while the other circuit supplies current of considerable value to a power system comprising motors M or the like. In the drawings I have for convenience shown but one motor, and this of the shunt-wound type. The lighting-circuit has connected in series therewith a suitable cut-out F, such as already described. The main current supplied to the power-circuit is used to excite the blow-out magnet for dissipating the are produced by operation of the cut-out F inserted in the lightingcircuit. The relatively large value of this power-cup rent makes itpossible to use only a few turns of the large conductor in order to obtain the desired number of ampere-turns in the solenoid for operating the blow-out, thus embodying the same advantages as regards insulation and cheapness of construction as pertains to the arrangement sho n in Fig. 1. Since the power-current is not materially effected by breaking the lighting-circuit the solenoid S operates with a uniform magnetomotive force upon the are produced by the cut-out F, and thus hastens very largely the rapidity with which the are is dissipated.

Figs. 3 and a are detailed views of an arcrupturing device which I employ in carrying out my invention. In these figures the cutout is shown as a fuse F, located in operative relation to the pancake coil S for producing the magnetic field for dissipating the are formed by the blowing of the fuse. The fuse F and the solenoid S are shown as mounted upon a supporting structure of insulatin material, preferably or porcelain. The porcelain supportis preferably formed from the base B, having a projecting shelf Q, shown partially cut away in the drawings. The projecting shelf Q, has holes or openings R therein through which bolts or screws may be inserted to secure the device in position. Suitable terminals U are secured to one side of the projecting ledge, to which the fuse F is attached in any suitable manner, the fuse be ing bent down, as shown, so as to lie in close proximity to the surface of the shelf Q. Other terminals V are secured to the opposite side of-the shelf Q and serve to make connection with the ends of the solenoid S, formed of a heavy metallic bar, bent into suitable form and retaining its shape through its inherent rigidity. The solenoid Sis preferablylocated within adepression in the porcelain support, the purpose of which construction is to allow the solenoid to he as closely as possible to the fuse F, at the same time being separated therefrom by the body-of insulating material forming a part of the projecting shelf Q. In order still further to prevent the are formed by the blowing of the fuse F from moving into contact with the solenoid S, and thus making electrical connection therewith, I provide the shelf Q with downwardly-projectin g barriers IV similar in all respects to the upward and downward extensions of the base B.

IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The method of rupturing an electric are which consists in dynamically acting upon the same by current derived inductively from the circuit in which the are is formed.

The method of rupturing an electric are, which consists in acting dynamically upon the are bycurrentilowing in acircuitinductively related to that in which the arc is formed.

3. The method of rupturing an are formed by interrupting a circuit carrying an alternating current, which consists in acting dynamically on the are by a periodic current differing in phase from that in the circuit in which the arc is formed.

4-. The combination with an alternatingcurrent circuit of a circuit-interrupting device therefor, and ablo\ -out coilin operative relation to said circuit-interrupting device and supplied with current from a circuit in inductive relation to thatin which the circuitinterrupting device is located.

5. The combination with an alternatingcurrent circuit of a circuit-interrupting de vice therefor, and a blow-out coilin operative relation to said circuit-interrupting device and supplied with current derived inductively from the circuit in which the circuitdnterrupting device is located.

6. In an arc-rupturing device, the combination of a circuit-interrupter, a blow-out solenoid or electromagnet in operative relation to said circuit-interrupter, and means for supplying to the blow-out solenoid or electromagnet a current of greater value than that controlled by the circuit-interrupter.

7. The combination of a circuit-interrupier in the primary of a transformer, and a blowout solenoid or magnet energized by current from the secondary of said transformer.

S. The combination of a circuit-interrupting device in circuitwith one of the windings of a transformer, and a blow-out solenoid or magnet in operative relation to said circuitinterrupter and energized by current from another winding on said transformer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of December, 1898.

ERNST J. BERG.

lVitnesses:

13. M. DE WOLF, G. A. I IARYEY.

IOC 

